The gage had stopped working on the front tank. I dropped the tank. Found out the float had a pin hole & a small crack about 1" apart. These were in the indention where the sending unit wire loop holds it.

I called Autozone and Advance. Seems you can't buy just the float. You have to buy the sending unit. It was a cool $95.00. WOW!

So, I thought I would try and fix it. I removed it from the wire loop, shook it till ALL the fuel was out, then wire brushed the two areas till they were clean. Then I brushed on some flux. The solder will not stick if this is not done.

I used a soldering iron and applied acid core solder. Then I let it cool, put it back in the wire loop. I oriented the float so the fixed areas would be up when in the tank.

Installed the tank back in the truck. I crossed my fingers and added fuel and the gage was working.

This may not be the cause of yours. But it could be. Hope this helps someone.

Clava

1995 F-150 4x4 5.8 E4OD ext cab 188,000 miles

 

Hey, awesome fix, Clava. My uncle's gauge on his Saturn daily driver is a bit whacko. When he fills it up it'll read wherever it was when he went to fill up, and won't read the actual level until it drops to about 3/4 of a tank or so... weird, huh? Anyway, I might suggest this fix to him, if he's interested. Thanks for the tip.

 

Most newer vehicles have a plastic float, so I doubt that this will help on the Saturn. Sounds like a faulty rheostat on the sending unit.

 

The Saturn is a '94 or '95, I believe, LxMan. Would the plastic float still apply? (Considering that clava's rig is a '95)? Thanks!

Ryan

 

Probably plastic. But I'm only 95% sure on that.
I am suprised that a 95 would still have a brass float.

 

brass floats are available at your ford dealer
about 5 dollars
just replaced the one in my 76 e 150